San Juans passes, F150 driving?

[haydenj66]

First time poster, long time thread reader. Hopefully those with more San Juans driving experience can help me out here! (including sending any known existing thread that shows this info... my first search didn't turn up anything).

I'm planning a trip next weekend to the Telluride/Ouray/Lake City area and have some questions about doing some of the passes in my 2000 extended cab 4wd F150 truck. I have some 4x4 experience in CO but this would likely be more challenging than anything I've done before.

For peaks I'm hoping to do Sneffels, S. Hayden Mountain outside Ironton Park, and Redcloud/Sunshine over 3 days.

For driving I'm planning to go from Telluride to Ouray and check out Bridal Veil Falls (via black bear pass?), and then driving from Silverton to the Grizzly Gulch TH via Animas Forks (I think looks like over Cinnamon Pass, maybe others?).

Does anyone have information on if these routes would be the best ways to get from Telluride to Ouray, and then Ouray to Grizzly Gulch TH? And do you know if they are possible with the longer wheelbase and width of the truck/my relatively limited experience? Would be great to not have to drive via the highways the whole time and get some more 4wd experience under my belt. Thanks in advance and happy hiking!

[Mtnman200]

You'll want to stay off Black Bear Pass in a full-size truck. Some/most of the switchbacks are very tight and would be very difficult with such a long wheelbase. Just my $0.02.

[Le Marmot]

I wouldn't even think of black bear. Thats definitely jeep/fj/ohv country. A fun way to get from t-ride to Silverton is ophir pass. You won't have any problems getting to grouse gulch th from Silverton but without experience or a good spotter cinnamon and engineer passes might be a stretch. I have a 2000 tundra with a wheelbase ten inches shorter than the 150 and would not want to have the extra to get around the switchbacks, but that's just me.

[Scott P]

As others said, there is no way I'd take that truck on Black Bear.

[Le Marmot]

Same goes for Imogene between t-ride and Yankee Boy/Ouray. The ouray side can be a bear on full-sized trucks without an experienced driver.

[Trotter]

from what I've read, cinnamon pass is doable, but don't do engineer pass. google it, theres videos of actual driving them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvkspFMHX9I" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Double Oh Seven]

If you're in telluride and you want to check out bridal veil falls you can take a truck up to the falls without actually driving black bear pass. The pass becomes one way and you wont be able to go much higher than the plant at the top of the falls

+1 to ophir pass. Ive driven imogene in a jeep and might be okay taking my regular cab tacoma over it. But why stress over it, i would rent a jeep and take Imogene.

None of these passes are very efficient but they are a lot of fun

[haydenj66]

Thanks to all for the feedback! Just a few clarifications from your answers and notes from other threads...
1) if I want to go from Yankee boy basin TH to Telluride after sneffels, It would only make sense to swing back around through Ouray?
2) The route up black bear on the telluride side to bridal veil is doable, but would just need to turn around at the plant and then could use Ophir pass to Ouray for some 4x4 practice?
3) is the drive from Silverton to Animas Forks relatively easy, then more challenging over Cinnamon pass but still makable, and then easier again on CR30 to grizzly gulch and on to Lake City?

Again, thanks for the help! These threads are so useful for those unfamiliar with various parts of CO.

[Le Marmot]

Thanks to all for the feedback! Just a few clarifications from your answers and notes from other threads...
1) if I want to go from Yankee boy basin TH to Telluride after sneffels, It would only make sense to swing back around through Ouray?
2) The route up black bear on the telluride side to bridal veil is doable, but would just need to turn around at the plant and then could use Ophir pass to Ouray for some 4x4 practice?
3) is the drive from Silverton to Animas Forks relatively easy, then more challenging over Cinnamon pass but still makable, and then easier again on CR30 to grizzly gulch and on to Lake City?

Again, thanks for the help! These threads are so useful for those unfamiliar with various parts of CO.

Without knowing much more about your truck ie; lifted or not, adequate tires, short bed etc, I would be cautious about any of the passes other than ophir. That doesn't mean there is no way you can make it over, just some considerations. You can get to the top of cinnamon and ask folks there that have driven up the other way as I'm sure you won't be alone up there and go from there based on that info.
1) right, you could drive back to ouray then to Ridgway and over Dallas divide then to telluride. You get a great view of sneffels from the south.
2) don't go any further than the power plant which is the popular scenic spot where everyone takes pictures of the falls from. Ophir takes you to Silverton, not back to ouray.
3) not knowing conditions on cinnamon, (im sure someone here has been, or you can search 4x4 sites) my concerns are there are a few switchbacks descending into american basin that might be pretty tight and possibility of high centering with a wheelbase that long. The only reason I suggested grouse gulch th is that you can access Handies peak if you were interested. It is longer but you will have a lot less company until you cross over into american basin. But if you make it over cinnamon, its a quick jog up handles then you can camp at grizzly gulch/silver creek for redcloud and sunshine. You can also access Handies via grizzly gulch. Lots of options once you get to the other side.
Edit: for some reason my phone wants to auto fill "bandies" for Handies.

[TallGrass]

Turning a "extended cab 4wd F150" around at BV Falls is doable, but may be tight depending what else is parked up there. BB pass is one-way from there on so you can't go farther from that side. A long pickup came down BB pass years ago but couldn't make the switchbacks, so did every other one in reverse -- not recommended. Road between Silverton and Animas Forks is 2WD as is from GG to Lake City, with the Cinnamon stretch in between being the rough part. F150 could do it depending on how set up and driver ability, but any tow back in there will be costly. Engineer Pass's crux is a rock slab jutting out in a switchback nearer AF. If I took a F150, I'd bring a shovel, boards, ramp, jack and whatever else I'd need to get through or off a tough spot.

[Matt]

Thanks to all for the feedback! Just a few clarifications from your answers and notes from other threads...
1) if I want to go from Yankee boy basin TH to Telluride after sneffels, It would only make sense to swing back around through Ouray?
2) The route up black bear on the telluride side to bridal veil is doable, but would just need to turn around at the plant and then could use Ophir pass to Ouray for some 4x4 practice?
3) is the drive from Silverton to Animas Forks relatively easy, then more challenging over Cinnamon pass but still makable, and then easier again on CR30 to grizzly gulch and on to Lake City?

Again, thanks for the help! These threads are so useful for those unfamiliar with various parts of CO.

Without knowing much more about your truck ie; lifted or not, adequate tires, short bed etc, I would be cautious about any of the passes other than ophir. That doesn't mean there is no way you can make it over, just some considerations.

Here are my thoughts after driving all these roads many times over the years:
1. Your fastest route from YBB to Ouray in that vehicle would be back through Ouray
2. I'll add that if you just want to say you've been on the Black Bear Pass road, you could drive from the top of Red Mountain Pass to Black Bear Pass. The view is tremendous and the road pretty easy. Just do not go down to T-Ride in your truck unless you wish to do every other switchback in reverse.
3. Your truck can easily make Cinnamon pass. However, see below for my commentary on this...
I'd avoid Engineer based on my thoughts below.
My two cents on driving these roads in large vehicles:
These roads can be narrow and tight. Large vehicle drivers should be skilled, aware of approaching vehicles, proactive in avoiding difficult passing situations, willing to let others pass, etc. I highlighted "consideration" above because I have both been delayed for an hour by a guy in a Suburban who got stuck on a switchback (Cinnamon) and almost knocked off the side of the Lead King Basin (Dodge Ram) and Engineer Pass (Hummer H1 from Texas) roads by people who should have known better than to take their oversized trucks or Hummer H1s on narrow, exposed mountain roads. These guys refused to give an inch or back up and blamed everyone but themselves for the inconvenience and danger they were creating in their selfishness.

That's my yearly rant on the topic. I'm certainly not targeting the OP, as his truck should handle Cinnamon just fine and he's asking for advice as a considerate person does. I hope he has a great time!

[Le Marmot]

Sound advice from Matt. One thing I'd like to expound upon is even though uphill traffic has right of way in an oncoming situation according to the 4wheeling rules of the road, don't expect everyone to observe and a lot of times on those passes it is more practical for uphill to pull over as much as you can safely, especially if I'm on the inside (not exposed to the shelf/drop off). It also helps to fold your divers-side mirror in to allow more space.